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We are thrilled to announce that George Thomas, undergraduate biology researcher in the Short Lab, has been selected as ...
05/28/2026

We are thrilled to announce that George Thomas, undergraduate biology researcher in the Short Lab, has been selected as the recipient of the 2025/26 Dean's Excellence Award in Research!

This award recognizes a student enrolled in a research-intensive course who has demonstrated excellence in independent research. Recipients are selected based on the quality and impact of their work, including factors such as rigour, creativity, research performance, intellectual and professional growth, and overall contribution to their field.

George’s research explored the interactions between algal viruses and Polinton-like viruses (PLVs) associated with the alga Chrysochromulina parva. The study identified a previously unknown helper virus, CpV-BQ3, and demonstrated that it supports the replication of the PLV CpV-PLV Moe, while another virus, CpV-BQ1, does not. Experiments also showed that higher levels of the PLV reduced helper virus replication and improved algal cell survival, highlighting the complex ecological relationships between viruses, virophage-like particles, and their algal hosts.

Congratulations, George! Great work

📅 Mark your calendars! Candace Ma's MSc exit seminar is taking place tomorrow from 10-11am in RW432 (UTSG Campus).PI: Pr...
05/28/2026

📅 Mark your calendars!

Candace Ma's MSc exit seminar is taking place tomorrow from 10-11am in RW432 (UTSG Campus).

PI: Prof. Peter Kotanen

Title: Effects of climate change on the germination and fates of seeds of subarctic plant invaders

Candace's research investigates how climate change may influence the spread of non-native plant species at high latitudes using Churchill, Manitoba as a model system. Field experiments showed that earlier growing seasons and warmer temperatures can increase the germination, growth, and reproductive success of some invasive species, although responses varied between species. These findings suggest that continued climatic warming could improve the performance of certain non-native plants and accelerate biological invasions in northern ecosystems.

Pictured: a polar bear being airlifted via helicopter to "polar bear jail" in Churchill, Manitoba.

Good luck, Candace! ✨

Please join us in congratulating David on his recent publication exploring the diversity and evolution of type III secre...
05/26/2026

Please join us in congratulating David on his recent publication exploring the diversity and evolution of type III secreted effectors (T3SEs) in bacterial plant pathogens! 🌱🦠

By analyzing T3SEs across six major genera of phytopathogens, this research uncovers new evolutionary relationships, highlights the remarkable diversity of these virulence factors, and proposes a unified nomenclature system to support future studies in plant immunity and pathogen evolution.

This expanded resource, which includes thousands of newly classified alleles, will help advance our understanding of plant–microbe interactions and the evolutionary arms race between pathogens and their hosts.

Congratulations, David!

From spices to science! 🌶️🧫First-year students in BIO152 wrapped up this past fall semester by testing spices for their ...
04/29/2026

From spices to science! 🌶️🧫

First-year students in BIO152 wrapped up this past fall semester by testing spices for their antimicrobial properties on E. coli and B. subtilis, then presenting their findings from over 300 investigations conducted over several weeks by students working in groups of two or three.

We loved hearing your insights and seeing your hard work pay off—congrats to the 2025/2026 cohort on completing their first year of university!

Looking for something to do this Saturday? Join us for a run or walk and learn about your local amphibians at Salamander...
04/28/2026

Looking for something to do this Saturday? Join us for a run or walk and learn about your local amphibians at Salamander Saturday! 🦎

📅 Saturday, May 2
🕓 10AM - 2PM
📍Maanjiwe nendamowinan (MN), 5th Floor North Terrace

Get answers to questions like:
- What is a salamander?
- How many species of salamander are in Mississauga?
- What salamander research is going on at UTM?
- What threats do salamanders face?
- How can I make my property "amphibian-friendly"?

Plus... enjoy fun, educational activities, such as:
- An informational booth with displays and interactive activities for kids
- Ask a Biologist - our salamander research team is here to answer your amphibian-related questions!
- 5K Salamander Stroll @ 10:30AM
- Guided pond walk with salamander biologist, Dr. Meredith Swartwout @ 12PM

We hope to see you there!

Earth Day is a reminder that the questions we ask in biology don’t just stay in the lab -- they shape how we understand ...
04/22/2026

Earth Day is a reminder that the questions we ask in biology don’t just stay in the lab -- they shape how we understand and protect the natural world.

Today, we encourage you to take a moment to do one small thing that supports the planet we call home.

Happy Earth Day from UTM Biology! 🌎🌱

🗓️ Mark your calendars!Tomorrow at 1 PM in DH2060, PhD candidate Nick Boehler will present his public seminar and defend...
04/20/2026

🗓️ Mark your calendars!

Tomorrow at 1 PM in DH2060, PhD candidate Nick Boehler will present his public seminar and defend his thesis.

Join us in wishing Nick the best of luck and come show your support as he wraps up his PhD! The talk will also be available on Zoom for those unable to attend in person—message us for the passcode.

🔗 https://utoronto.zoom.us/j/86486838653

Supervisor: Dr. Mary Cheng

Title: Hidden Variants, Visible IMPACT: A New Paradigm for Person-First Genomics

Good luck, Nick! ✨

🚨Attention Fourth Years! 🚨Do you have a special interest in the structure of the human genome and the molecular roots of...
04/16/2026

🚨Attention Fourth Years! 🚨

Do you have a special interest in the structure of the human genome and the molecular roots of cancer? If so, this summer course is for you!

The course will run from July to August 2026, with an online lecture Mondays from 9-12, and Thursdays from 1-4 (online/in person). The term test and final exam will take place in person only.

Now offered as a hybrid course, you will first learn about topics such as the sequencing of the human genome, variation between genomes, and various aspects of functional genomics such as a brief overview of how gene expression is regulated and how genomics is being utilized in health and medicine.
Techniques such as high throughput sequencing will be also covered.

The second part of the course examines the molecular and genetic basis of cancer including the role of oncogenes, tumor suppressor genes and cell cycle regulating proteins in the development of this disease. It also looks at cancer from a functional genomics perspective. Lectures and seminars will involve presentations and discussion of recently published research articles.

Prerequisites: BIO370Y5 or BIO372H5

For questions, please reach out to mailto:[email protected]

💻 Apply now on Acorn!

Last week, UTM Biology hosted the annual April ROP Poster Presentations where fourth year Biology students presented the...
04/15/2026

Last week, UTM Biology hosted the annual April ROP Poster Presentations where fourth year Biology students presented the research that they had worked on this past year in the Research Opportunity Program. Thanks to the talent and intelligence of our students, the event was a resounding success! Scroll through the post to see the photos from the event.

The 2026 Winners:
- First place: Snigdha Mudigonda and Amal Shahzad, "UTM BioViz: A Visual Literacy Library for Undergraduate Biology Students."
- Second place (tie): Kiara Blaic, "Humanization of Saccharomyces cerevisiae to Functionally Characterize Essential Human Disease Genes for Variant Effect Mapping", and Willow Lawrence, "Braiding Indigenous and Western Knowledge Systems to Further Student Understanding of Ecological Impacts on Pacific Salmon."
- Third place: Rita Henein, "How Does Urbanization and Habitat Structure Shape Dragonfly and Damselfly Species Richness?"

Congratulations not only to our winners, but to all the students who presented their research! Job well done. 👏

We are thrilled to share that UTM Biology undergraduate student Zoë Shymkiw travelled to Laurentian University last mont...
04/15/2026

We are thrilled to share that UTM Biology undergraduate student Zoë Shymkiw travelled to Laurentian University last month to present her undergraduate research at Ontario Biology Day, where she won first place for Best Poster Presentation in Ecology & Evolution with her poster, "How does dim light at night (dLAN) affect lentic invertebrate community dynamics?"

Working alongside fellow members of the Murray Lab, Zoë conducted important research on the impacts of underregulated light pollution on organisms across multiple levels of biodiversity, examining how both low light levels and small fluctuations in light can influence ecological communities.

Congratulations on this exciting achievement, Zoë! 🎉

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